Madockawanda Lodge 271
Chapters *Abnaki *Casco Bay *Downeast *Kennebec Valley *York History Madockawanda Lodge 271 came into existence on July 10, 1944, at Camp Hinds, when the first seven members were inducted into the Order of the Arrow. These charter members of our lodge were Howard Butler (the Camp Director from 1944 to 1947), Frank W.P. Bailey, Fred Foster, Lee Weeks, Phil Foss, Jordan Prouty and Arthur Berry. The induction team included Pine Tree Scout Executive Percy Dunne, Hinds Waterfront Director George Anderson (who was from Pamola Lodge) and Senior Camp (Tenny) Director Dr. Nickles. As a part of their ordeal, these candidates were directed to prepare a ceremonial area on the hill just south of the present Cadigan lodge and to construct an alter fireplace and ceremonial alter. At that time the lodge took the name Madockawanda, based upon a story told by "Uncle" Frank Bailey about the great Indian Chief Madockawanda who unified the Penobscot Nation. Frank Bailey, one of the founders of Camp Hinds and a 30-year staff member, became the first Lodge adviser. He served in that capacity until 1957. Fred Foster was the ranger at Camp Hinds through the mid-1960s and was responsible for the remodeling of Berry Farm, which is now known today as the training center. Lee Weeks has remained active in Scouting and served as Council Activities Chairman from ?????-?????. The snapping turtle was taken as the totem of the Lodge, and a lodge clap also was decided upon 1, 1-2. The founders were unaware at the time that the turtle was also the totem of Unami Lodge #1. Frank Bailey drew up a set of bylaws for the Lodge, which were later found to be remarkably similar to the National Rules. During the early period, the lodges program was almost entirely a summertime program. Elections and inductions were held every two weeks during the summer season. Since most Scouts came to camp as provisional campers at that time, the elections were held in the six provisional units: MacArthur, Boone, Byrd, Peary, Pershing, and MacMillan, and at the “Senior Camp” across the river. The occasional troop camping as a unit could also hold elections. Following National policy, no elections were held outside of the summer camp season. Camp Bomazeen opened in the summer of 1946 and the Bomazeen chapter of the Lodge was started in 1949. Jaro Konecny of Salem, Maine, one of the camp’s founders, served as an OA adviser at Bomazeen. The two council camps operated as two chapters of the Lodge. This was expanded to three chapters in 1950 when Camp Nutter was open as a full-time council camp and a chapter was established there. Camp Nutter dates back to the 1930s when York County was a separate council operating its own camp. At that time the OA was not the only organization in Scouting for recognizing honor campers. Since York District had previously adopted the “Nikiwigi,” another Scouting National Honor Society, as their program for honor Scouts and Scouters, there was a period of negotiation required before the Camp Nutter Chapter of the Lodge replaced the Nikiwigi tribe. The chapter was active, however, for only a few years before full-time summer operation of Camp Nutter ceased to be practical. The separate chapters met as a Lodge once a year, during the Christmas school vacation, when it held its annual meeting for fellowship and election of Lodge officers. Complete records of the Lodge officers from that time are not known to exist, since an assistant scout executive cleaned out the Lodge file at the Council office in the early 1970s. While efforts to gain historical records have been moderately successful recently, there is still much left in question. In 1952, the Lodge sent a team to Camp Sachem in Antrim, New Hampshire, to induct their candidates into the Order. While this new Lodge did not immediately replace the Nikiwigi Tribe at Camp Sachem, it would by 1963. The team members were Frank Bailey, Clyde Nason, Jr., Al Elliot, and Wayne McDuffie. All were staff members at Camp Hinds. By the mid-1950s, the ordeals had been expanded to include June and September work parties at each camp, as well as ordeals every two weeks during the summer season. Each chapter had a well-trained ceremonial team consisting largely of camp staff members. Early tapout ceremonies at Camp Hinds were held at the parade ground. The chief came by canoe from Chipmunk point, climbed the bank to the assembled troops, and tapped out those who had been elected. By the early 1950s, the tapout had become part of an elaborate Indian campfire. These ordeals at both Hinds and Bomazeen were held every two weeks because, in those days of provisional camping, most Scouts attended camp for two weeks at a time and the elections were held during the second week of the cycle. By 1955, the move was on nationally to get more Scout troops to come to camp as units under their own leadership. Hinds and Bomazeen gradually moved from camps with 90% provisional campers to 90% troop camping in the mid-1960s. With this change came a major revision in the procedures used by the Lodge. National rules dictated that elections must be held in the home troop, not a provisional camp troop, although for many years some troops still came to camp expecting to have an OA elections there. The chapters of the Lodge then had to subdivide to provide for election and camp promotion teams in every district, of which the council then had eight. For several years there were two types of chapters, camp chapters and district chapters. Both types functioned together, with two Lodge Vice Chiefs each supervising the districts closest to his camp. From 1975 through 1979 there were two Lodge Vice Chiefs elected each year, one to supervise the Camp Hinds sector of the Lodge, the other to supervise the Bomazeen chapters. Meetings were held at district roundtables to inform Scoutmasters of the new procedures and the lodge began to hold OA elections only at troop meetings within the districts. Since all the candidates had already been elected before going to summer camp, most of them began coming to the June ordeal weekends instead of waiting until their troop went to camp. The need for summertime ceremonies dissipated and were gradually eliminated. There had been several attempts in the ????? to hold midsummer ordeals, but the difficulty in fitting that program into an already crowded camp schedule had proven hard to overcome. Historical Moments of note: *2008 Third National Service Award, for 2007 service, first Lodge in the Northeast Region to win three *07/06 NOAC Contingent *??/06 Paul Froman re-elected Section NE-1A Chief *??/05 Contingent sent to the 90th Anniversary of the Order at Treasure Island Camp *??/05 Paul Froman elected Section NE-1A Chief *07/04 NOAC Contingent *2004 60th Anniversary of the Lodge - In honor of anniversary lodge creates the 60th Anniversary Personal Achievement Award and completes a 60th anniversary project of rebuidling the Camp Hinds Council Ring fire pit and reconstructed a replica of the Original Ceremony Site from 1944 *??/04 Mike Price elected Section NE-1A Chief *??/03 Mike Price re-elected Section NE-1A Secretary *07/02 NOAC - website earns "honor lodge" distinction and is ranked #1 in the Nation *??/02 Mike Price elected Section NE-1A Secretary *??/01 Josh Gagnon re-elected Section NE-1A Chief *2000 NOAC Contingent *2000 One of eight lodges to receive the first National Service Award, for its service to council camps. *??/00 Joshua Gagnon elected Section NE-1A Chief *??/00 Joe Niman elected Section NE-1A Secretary *1999 Chief and Vice-Chief attend OA National Leadership Summit *1999 Work completed on the new Council Ring at Camp Bomazeen for its 55th anniversary, and reconstruction started on the Waterfront at Camp Hinds. *1999 Publishes "Turtle Treks", the lodges first "where to go camping guide." *1999 The creats the Honor Chapter Award *??/99 Joshua Gagnon elected Section NE-1A Secretary *06/99 At summer camp the lodge rolls out the "OA Service Hour" program. *1998 NOAC - Pre-Ordeal Ceremony Team earns Honor Lodge rating *??/98 Paul Hallee elected Section NE-1A Vice-Chief *??/97 Richard Burt elected Section NE-1A Chief *??/97 Roger Gagnon appointed Section NE-1A Adviser *1996 Attends NOAC as part of Section NE-1A contingent - Pre-Ordeal Ceremony Team earns Honor Lodge rating, Craig Howitt earns Honor distinction for the Vigil ceremony competition at NOAC, Turtle Soup wins Honor Lodge recognition in the publication competition. *1995 Madockawanda Lodge represents section at the OA retreat at Philmont. *1994 50th Anniversary of the Lodge. *1994 NOAC Contingent *??/94 Lodge hosts Section Conclave at Camp Hinds *1993 Presents 50th Anniversary Personal Achievement Award. *1992 NOAC - Dance team earns honorable mention rating *1991 First time as a "National Honor Lodge" Certificate: *1990 NOAC Contingent *1989 Lodge attends National OA Trek at Philmont Scout Reservation *1988 NOAC Contingent *1986 NOAC Contingent *1985 Lodge hosts Section Conclave at Camp Hinds *1978 Lodge hosts Section Conclave at Camp Hinds *1973 Lodge hosts Section Conclave at Camp Hinds *1971 NOAC Contingent *1969 NOAC Contingent *1967 NOAC Contingent *1967 Lodge hosts Section Conclave at Camp Hinds *1965 NOAC Contingent *1963 Lodge hosts Section Conclave *1962 Chapters are established in each of the council districts, replacing camp oriented chapters *1956 Lodge hosts Section Conclave at Camp Hinds *1955 Camp Nutter ceased summer camp operations and the OA chapter was disbanded *1953 Clyde Nason, Jr. was inducted as the lodges second Vigil member, he designed the round flap that became the standard for the lodge *1952 Frank Bailey, was inducted as the lodges first Vigil member *1950 Camp Nutter chapter established. *1949 Camp Bomazeen chapter established. *1947 First Brotherhood Members inducted. *1944 Original induction of members to Madockwanda Lodge, 7 members, Frank Bailey appointed as first Lodge Adviser. Lodge Chiefs Lodge Advisers Lodge Staff Advisers Associate Lodge Advisers Official Awards Distinguished Service Award Recipients Founder's Award Recipients Vigil Honor National Service Award National Quality Lodge Lodge Awards 60th Anniversary Personal Achievement Award Recipients Purple Arrow Award Recipients Resources Internal Links Lodges by Name Lodges by Number Northeast Region Lodges Section NE-1A External Links Madockawanda Lodge Website